Maternity girdle



April 25, 1961 R. MoELLENDoRF MATERNITY GIRDLE Filed April 30, 1957 INVENToR. fP/Z Ma 5A/ @Rf- United States Patentv MATERNITY GIRDLE Riz Moellendorf, North Hollywood, Calif., assignor to 'Nu-Lift Co., Inc., Hollywood, Calif., a corporation of California Filed Apr. 30, 1957, Ser. No. 656,089 2 Claims. (Cl. 12S-527) My invention comprises a maternity girdle and more specifically a girdle of the usual elastic, tubular or flat woven or knit type which has incorporated therein means for supporting the abdomen and relieving pelvic pressure during maternity.

While previous maternity girdles have used the ordinary elastic tubular knit frame and other supporting means, all that they accomplish is to hold in the lower abdomen and afford no lift of weight from the pelvis during the maternity or place a support which is carried by the waist of the wearer. An advantage of my invention is that the weight carried by the supporting member is not supported by the waist, but is entirely carried by the back of the wearer.

In general, my invention comprises an elastic tubular knit sleeve which has attached at the back, over the spine, a belt which comes around the hips and has hooks at the end thereof. Across the pelvis from groin line to groin line, in front, is placed a tape member which is stitched to the sleeve and which is elastic in itself but at its lower edge has a non-elastic tape sewn therein so that there is no stretch in this portion of the garment. At the edges of the tape member are eyelet tapes for adjustment so that the hooks on the belt can be placed into any of the eyes of the eyelet tapes to tighten or loosen the belt. By this means, the lower non-elastic tape holds up and supports the abdomen and relieves pelvic pressure while the upper part of the elastic band permits expansion, thus providing a lower support but no inward pressure.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment thereof.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my girdle.

Figure 2 is a front elevation.

Figure 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a rear elevation.

Figure 6 is a section taken on line 6 6 of Figure 2.

A maternity girdle constructed in accordance with my invention comprises a sleeve shaped member 1, preferably formed of rayon-cotton, fabric in a tubular knit.

Such girdles are common and well-known and can have le; members 2. Attached in nylon or other elastic ing goes through the sleeve t1 to make a monolithic strucl ture of the tape 7, the sleeve 1 and the eyelet tapes 9. The tape 7 is also stitched down the front at 10, across the top at 11.

To form a support underneath the tape 7 and on top of the sleeve 1 is stitched a non-elastic tape 13. The tape 7 is stitched along its lower edges to the sleeve 1 and at the same time, through the non-elastic tape 13 as shown at 14.

In the use of my girdle, the belt 3 is hooked to the eyelet tapes 9 at any one of the eyelets 16. Itis thus adjustable and can be loosened or tightened to the wcarers comfort. By the use of the non-elastic tape 13, a rigid support is placed under the abdomen without any inward pullngbut only an upward lift, and the elastic tape 7 permits any expansion above the tape 13 thus providing a support which is expandable in size above the supporting member.

l have heretofore described an ordinary girdle, however, many women prefer to have a panty girdle and for this purpose I have provided the detachable crotch which is attached to the girdle by the eyelet 21 and the hooks 22. By means of this detachable crotch 20, the garment is much more readily cleaned and can be worn both as a regular girdle or with the attachment ofthe crotch 20 as a panty girdle.

I claim:

l. A girdle comprising an elastic, tubular sleeve, an elastic belt member attached to the rear of said sleeve, an elastic tape attached to said sleeve in front adjacent to and abovethe crotch of the wearer, a non-elastic tape attached to said sleeve and to the lower edge of said elastic tape, and adjustable connecting means secured at each end of said elastic tape and adapted to connect said elastic tape and said elastic belt.

2. A girdle comprising an elastic, tubular sleeve, van

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS `.344,065 Teufel June 22, 1886 672,391 Teufel Apr. 16, 1901 Y 825,561 Storm Iuly 10, 1906 2,680,848 Hannes et al. July 15, 1954 2,720,653 -Fowler et al. 

